This invention relates to a waterproof relay connector to which a lead wire can be removably connected.
A conventional commonly-used waterproof relay connector is of the type as shown in FIG. 12, in which a plug 111 and a socket 112 are fitted together.
A terminal 121 and a contact 122, each having a lead wire 101 press-fastened thereto, are received respectively within housings 111a and 112a made of an insulator, and a resin 160 is filled in each of the housings 111a and 112a, thereby fixing the terminal 121 and the contact 122 respectively to these housings.
In this case, when the plug 111 and the socket 112 are fitted together, the lead wires are connected together.
In this kind of the relay connector, a waterproof effect is achieved by providing the resins 160 which is rubber insulators respectively at the opposite sides or by providing O-rings at the fitting surface.
However, with this structure in which the lead wire is press-fastened to the terminal, and the resin is filled to provide an integrally-molded construction, when this connector is to used as a waterproof relay connector, for example, between facilities, the connector need to be beforehand mounted on relevant apparatuses since this connector can not be mounted at the field.
Therefore, there was a drawback that when the facilities were to be changed, the arrangement could not be changed into a parallel connection or a series connection.
A terminal block as shown in FIG. 13 is also known.
This terminal block 110 is of the type in which a lead wire 101 is inserted thereinto, and is retained by a spring portion 130. The lead wire 101 can be easily removed by manually pushing a lever 140 to cancel the retaining engagement of the spring portion 130 with the lead wire. However, this terminal block is designed to connect the lead wire to facilities, and its structure is too large to be used as a relay connector, and besides has no waterproof ability.
JP-A-2003-317825 discloses a technique in which a retaining piece portion is provided within a housing, and a cable is held by this retaining piece portion, and is connected to a terminal block, and a cancellation button is pushed in a cable inserting direction to push the retaining piece portion, thereby removing the cable from the terminal block.
However, an insertion hole for the cable and an insertion hole for the cancellation button have no waterproof ability, and beside this structure is large in size.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2003-317825